Are 5 watts QRO on WSPR?

[VK3LU]

I have been a WSPRer for only a couple of years and have noticed that 5 watts on HF seems to get you everywhere  easily, hence the question.(also to keep the forum ticking over)
I now only use a maximum of 1 watt and it is a bit more of a challenge, going by the sig reports.
Even less power will be interesting when I try it.
What do you think?



Nev

[VK2EHQ]

I've trialled 200mW with a WSPRLite on 30 and 20m for the heck of it. It covers the globe quite readily.
Regarding your mention of 5 watts, it depends on the rig, as you know. Mine goes down to 10w minimum. Will go a little less by careful manipulation of ALC, but we're only talking say, 8 watts.

Cheers,

Peter VK2EHQ

[VK3LU]

Hi Peter.
I was using my IC7300 down to 1 watt but now use an FT817 which performs really well. I haven't yet found out how low in power I can go as I am on holidays at the moment.
What I would like to do is build a QRP Labs U3S kit but that will have to wait a while.

Nev

[VK2EHQ]

Hi Nev,

I was going to build the QRP Labs U3S kit, but wanted something quick (black box) to test some antenna here, hence the WSPRLite.

73 de Peter VK2EHQ

[VK2KRR]

I guess it depends upon the antenna system at each end as to how well your power is radiated and received.
I would say it also depends upon the band, some are easier than others, such as comparing 2m with 40m.

Currently on 10m myself and VK3KCX have been running 20W due to the very low occurrence of decent propagation. Like today for example, virtually nothing except back scatter sigs.

2m VK5GF and myself running 10W to monitor our tropo path.

6m I'll also run 20W currently due to the lack of propagation. We expect this to change soon with onset of summer E season down south.

If conditions ramp up on 10 or 6 we would run the power back to 10W usually. If you vary it about too much you dont get the full picture of what the conditions are really doing as its the power varying not the propagation.

[VK3LU]

Hi Leigh,
I was referring to HF.
I understand where you are coming from. What prompted me to ask the question is the ease with which the world can be covered with 1 watt or less.
Nev.
PS also to keep the forum active  .... ..